Selecting Objects (SELECT, QSELECT, FILTER)

Select objects by clicking, with Window/Crossing boxes, QSELECT, FILTER, and SELECTSIMILAR, and hide or isolate objects.

What it does

Most Modify commands work in two ways: select first, then run the command (Pickfirst), or run the command first, then select (the program asks select objects - Enter to continue, Esc to cancel; select, then press Enter).

Selecting with the mouse

Method	Result
Click an object	Selects it. A click on another object replaces the selection; `Ctrl`+click adds or removes objects
Drag a box from left to right (Window, blue)	Selects only objects that are completely inside the box
Drag a box from right to left (Crossing)	Selects objects that cross or are inside the box
Click again at the same spot (SELCYCLE on)	Cycles through overlapping objects
`Esc`	Cancels the selection
`Ctrl+A` or right-click empty space › Select All	Selects everything

Selection commands

Command	Alias	Format	Meaning
SELECT	`SE`	–	Returns to selection mode
QSELECT	`QSE`	`QSELECT <type> [layer]` / `QSELECT ?`	Selects every object of one type (for example circle, line, text). You can limit it to a Layer
FILTER	`FI`	`FILTER <prop>=<value> ...` / `FILTER ?`	Selects by any property, for example `FILTER kind=circle r=6.0` (multiple conditions are combined with AND; a value must match exactly as stored, so type `6.0`, not `6`)
SELECTSIMILAR	`SELSIM`	–	Extends the selection to all objects of the same type on the same Layer
SELECTPREVIOUS	`SELP`	–	Recalls the previous selection set
SELECTLAST	`SELL`	–	Selects the most recently created object
ISOLATEOBJECTS	`ISOLATE`	–	Hides everything except the selection
HIDEOBJECTS	`HIDEOBJ`	–	Hides the selected objects
UNISOLATEOBJECTS	`UNISOLATE`	–	Shows objects hidden by the two commands above

Example: select all circles

Type QSELECT circle and press Enter.
The result is QSELECT: 5 circle(s) selected. You can run a command right away, for example CENTERMARK.

Try it: Pegboard panel

A 200 x 120 mm pegboard for tools or craft supplies, with 32 peg holes and 4 mounting holes. You will select only the peg holes and move them to their own layer, even though every hole is a circle.

Board: REC, 0,0, @200,120, Esc. Peg hole: C, 30,30, 3, Esc. Mounting holes: C 10,10 4, C 190,10 4, C 10,110 4, C 190,110 4. Press Esc after each one.
Click the peg hole and type ARRAYRECT 8 20 0. Drag a window around the 8 peg holes (from 20,20 to 180,40) and type ARRAYRECT 4 0 20. You now have 32 peg holes.
Type QSELECT circle. The result reads QSELECT: 36 circle(s) selected, which includes the mounting holes.
Ctrl+click each of the 4 mounting holes on its circle line, away from the blue grips. That removes them, so 32 objects stay selected.
Type CHPROP layer=PEGS color=#00C8FF. The peg holes turn cyan on the new PEGS layer.

Pegboard with 32 peg holes on the PEGS layer

Challenge: Click one mounting hole and type SELSIM. Exactly the 4 mounting holes are selected, because they are now the only circles left on layer 0.